Traveling With The Pets
Reading the Zickefoose saga about being booted due to Chet reminds me of a problem I encountered with Cinnamon in the last few months. The hotel chain I had a problem with has always been great, but I got the butt end of a doofus manager so I don't want to blame the chain for this one incompetent employee.
I generally prefer this chain because they allow pets. Some locations require notification of said pet, but most just waive past without a care to a rabbit. When I checked into this location with Cinnamon, I didn't see sign requesting a that pets be registered and made a point of walking through the lobby with Cinnamon's carrier for the staff to let me know if I should register her.
On my second day at the hotel, I came back to the room after a long day in the field and at the booth to find a letter taped to my door with my name and contact information and a stern note alerting me house keeping was in my room and discovered that I was hiding a pet in my room and they were on to me and that I would be expected to pay a fine for this. I was reprimanded for trying to hide my pet and risking spreading allergens to other guests. Also, I would of course be expect to pay for any damages Cinnamon should incur to the room.
Okay, let's set the record straight. Here was my bed in the hotel room:
Can you see a bed under that mess?
Here was Cinnamon's area:
You will note the green towel. I bring my own towel for the bunny so that way the hotel staff doesn't even have to put one of their own towels in the washer and dryer.
Here was the bathroom in the hotel in question:
Coffee, bird publications, various hair products, towels, etc...Here's Cinnamon's area:
You will note some towels and socks on the floor behind Cinnamon, those are mine as well.
"I disapprove of being blamed for Sharon's general slobbishness!"
I was angry for several reasons: 1. the hotel allowed pets, there was no sign that read she had to be registered and I went through the lobby with her, so staff had ample chances to say, "Yo, register your varmit!" 2. my name and contact info was on the note that was taped on the door for anyone passing by to read--this may be overly paranoid, but at the time I was traveling with several thousand dollars worth of optics and I do lead a somewhat public life and it is possible that someone might try to break into my room 3. I had put the Do Not Disturb sign on my door and for some reason housekeeping came in 4. The manager left an unreadable signature and no printed name so I had no idea who to talk to.
I was livid. I waited ten minutes to calm down and called the front desk. When the attendant answered I asked for the manager. She said he wasn't in. When I asked when he would be in, she answered, "Whenever he feels like it." That did not bode well.
I decided to google the corporate headquarters for their contact info and speak to them--they were very friendly and helpful when I explained my irritation with the staff. They understood and said they would deal with it right away. Incidentally, if you are worried about items in your room, always ask for a safe in your room, that way you are not responsible if housekeeping steals your stuff, otherwise the hotel is not liable. I have had stuff stolen out of a hotel by housekeeping. Years ago when I worked for a children's theater company and we were on the road, and I had my birth control pills and binoculars stolen out of my room (I wonder what kind of party they were planning with that combo). That hotel said they were not responsible.
The next day when I came back to the room there was an apology note from the manager and a present for Cinnamon of salt and mineral blocks. I did chuckle when I was checking out of the hotel that there was now a HUGE neon sign at the front desk reading: "Please Register all Pets!"
I generally prefer this chain because they allow pets. Some locations require notification of said pet, but most just waive past without a care to a rabbit. When I checked into this location with Cinnamon, I didn't see sign requesting a that pets be registered and made a point of walking through the lobby with Cinnamon's carrier for the staff to let me know if I should register her.
On my second day at the hotel, I came back to the room after a long day in the field and at the booth to find a letter taped to my door with my name and contact information and a stern note alerting me house keeping was in my room and discovered that I was hiding a pet in my room and they were on to me and that I would be expected to pay a fine for this. I was reprimanded for trying to hide my pet and risking spreading allergens to other guests. Also, I would of course be expect to pay for any damages Cinnamon should incur to the room.
Okay, let's set the record straight. Here was my bed in the hotel room:
Can you see a bed under that mess?Here was Cinnamon's area:
You will note the green towel. I bring my own towel for the bunny so that way the hotel staff doesn't even have to put one of their own towels in the washer and dryer.Here was the bathroom in the hotel in question:
Coffee, bird publications, various hair products, towels, etc...Here's Cinnamon's area:
You will note some towels and socks on the floor behind Cinnamon, those are mine as well.
"I disapprove of being blamed for Sharon's general slobbishness!"I was angry for several reasons: 1. the hotel allowed pets, there was no sign that read she had to be registered and I went through the lobby with her, so staff had ample chances to say, "Yo, register your varmit!" 2. my name and contact info was on the note that was taped on the door for anyone passing by to read--this may be overly paranoid, but at the time I was traveling with several thousand dollars worth of optics and I do lead a somewhat public life and it is possible that someone might try to break into my room 3. I had put the Do Not Disturb sign on my door and for some reason housekeeping came in 4. The manager left an unreadable signature and no printed name so I had no idea who to talk to.
I was livid. I waited ten minutes to calm down and called the front desk. When the attendant answered I asked for the manager. She said he wasn't in. When I asked when he would be in, she answered, "Whenever he feels like it." That did not bode well.
I decided to google the corporate headquarters for their contact info and speak to them--they were very friendly and helpful when I explained my irritation with the staff. They understood and said they would deal with it right away. Incidentally, if you are worried about items in your room, always ask for a safe in your room, that way you are not responsible if housekeeping steals your stuff, otherwise the hotel is not liable. I have had stuff stolen out of a hotel by housekeeping. Years ago when I worked for a children's theater company and we were on the road, and I had my birth control pills and binoculars stolen out of my room (I wonder what kind of party they were planning with that combo). That hotel said they were not responsible.
The next day when I came back to the room there was an apology note from the manager and a present for Cinnamon of salt and mineral blocks. I did chuckle when I was checking out of the hotel that there was now a HUGE neon sign at the front desk reading: "Please Register all Pets!"
posted by birdchick at 8:56 PM
16 Comments:
That was good of you to omit the chain's name. (I don't think anyone who reads Julie's blog will be going to stay at any park in Maryland!)
People like to make a stink, don't they?
It's not like you were harboring a yak.
What a pain! I disapprove of general incompetence especially when it makes my life more difficult. If people had done their job correctly, you wouldn't have had to waste your precious time calling around to fix the problem. If it had been me, I would have unleashed Cinnamon on them and let them suffer the consequences of a direct stare of disapproval from a rabbit.
You may be a birder-whatever that may be-but you're also a geek. A big time geek. The disapproving rabbit thing was just way too much, and it was absolutely not the least bit funny to the outside world. I was a little offended by the geekiness
As a genuine geek whose goal in life is to prove that there's nothing wrong with being a geek, I can firmly attest that Sharon is not a geek. The birding world can and should welcome both geeks and non-geeks to our numbers. The birdchick may be trying to prove that you can be a birder without being a geek, but she doesn't make us geeks feel less worthy for our geekiness. And unless I'm not part of "the outside world," I can also attest that her disapproving rabbit is, indeed, very funny. My dog Photon highly approves of Cinnamon despite the fact that Cinnamon certainly disapproves of Photon's indiscriminate acceptance of everyone and everything.
What I actually came here to post was that last year when I was at the Midwest Bird Symposium with my education screech owl Archimedes, staying at a hotel chain, each morning I brought Archimedes with me to the symposium, so I don't know if the housekeeping staff was even aware that there was an owl in the room. I was keeping Archimedes's mice in a plastic baggie. They'd thawed by the first night, but I was keeping them reasonably cold in the hotel's ice bucket. Defrosted mice are rather gross, with some blood seepage from eyes and mouth. Anyway, one morning I forgot to bring the ice bucket with me. When I returned to the room, I discovered that the maid had replaced the ice in the bucket, obviously having to handle the yucky baggie. I gave her an extra-big tip.
shouldn't Cinnamon disapprove of being called a "varmint"???
love this post: also love the fact that mr "I'll be in when I feel like it" had someone go get Cinnamon some treats (you know he didn't do it himself!)
I say WAY TO GO, Sharon!
I think I need to clarify that the hotel does allow pets. It was not made clear that I needed to register the pet. When I checked in there was no sign indicating I was supposed to do that. It was after "Cinnamon Gate" that the big neon sign showed up at the desk.
Also, when I have stayed at this chain in other locations I was told there was no need to register.
I still love how I was warned that I would have to pay for any damages to the room that Cinnamon should incur when I am way more destructive to rooms than she is.
I also get a kick out of hotels that want to be allergen free and not allow pets, but when you request a non smoking room, you get a room that someone has obviously smoked in (ash on the floor, subtle smoky aroma), they just used an ionizer to minimize the odor.
Sheesh, that manager is a butthead. I'm glad he got a dressing down.
I love the Cinnamon flop in the picture with the socks.
I hope you passed on to the corporate person that the manager came in "when he felt like it". Maybe they'll send his paycheck "when they feel like it".
This is one of many reasons I want a camper van. Most places balk at two pets, never mind that if you glued both my dogs together - they'd look awfully weird - but they'd still weigh less than Cinnamon.
Do you think: "it's a rare 8-legged breed... I'm here for a dogshow" would work?
Maureen, you could say it's conjoined twin dogs.
Anonymous- if you don't like it, don't read it. There's no need to post saying rude things about the birdchick. I don't think the disapproving rabbits are geeky. I think they are hilarious.
In reference to the first comment: We would like to point out that in the hotels where we stay, it is generally okay to have a yak in your room as long as you keep it in its carrier.
I think the anonymous person that was offended by disapproving rabbits was joke. I think they're trying to say that I am a geek no matter how much I try to deny it. I disagree, how can I be a geek with such fabulous hair?
If the case were made that I'm a geek, I'm still okay. Nerds and geeks are very in right now.
I'm not a geek.
Beware of geeks bearing disapproving rabbits.
Yes, the hair is fab. Don't change a thing, Sharon.
And what is wrong with geeks, anyways? I married one, and also, does anyone remember a guy named BILL GATES?
As an Apple Computer household we're not allowed to mention that Bill.
Non Birding Bill wrote a great monologue in his play THAC0 that tells you the difference between a nerd and a geek. I'll have to see if he will give me permission to put part of it in the blog. Based on his definition if I were to choose a catagory for me, it would be nerd--but again, with hair like mine, how could I be a nerd? I certainly like being married to them. What they said about nerds in the movie Revenge of the Nerds is VERY true.
Wink Wink Nudge Nudge.
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